Share Legal Maryland Paternity Forms For Free

Establishing Paternity is Essential An unmarried father needs to sign the child's birth certificate and obtain an affidavit of parentage before the child reaches 18, which is the age of majority. Unmarried fathers rights will only be enforced in Maryland if paternity has been officially established.

When a child is born to parents who are not married to each other, hospitals must give an Acknowledgment of Paternity (03PA209E) form to the parents. The hospitals must also give paperwork and tell the parents of their rights and duties when establishing paternity.

If you and the mother are not married to each other, you can only be listed on the birth certificate if you have signed an Affidavit of Parentage or a court has found that you are the father. You have the right to petition the court to have yourself declared the child's father.

You can establish paternity using an Affidavit up until your child's 18th birthday. Signing the Affidavit is your choice. Once it is signed, it becomes a legal finding of paternity. An Affidavit of Parentage cannot be executed if the mother was married at the time of conception or birth of the child.

Establishing paternity is the process of establishing the legal fatherhood of a child. In Maryland: If the mother is married at the time of conception or birth of a child, the law presumes her husband is the child's legal father even though he may not be the child's birth father.

If the mother is not married when the child is born, paternity can be established either through a court proceeding or by both parents signing an Affidavit of Parentage. An unmarried mother or an unmarried father who have minor children together may file a paternity case.